'Frustrated' Warne says Oz selectors 'still don't know best XI'

Former Australia spinner Shane Warne has expressed his frustration with the selectors, saying that he believes that the number of opening batsmen in their Ashes squad suggested that the selectors still could not figure out the best XI.

Shane Watson, David Warner, Ed Cowan, Chris Rogers and Phillip Hughes are in the 16-man touring party as Australia attempt to secure their first Test series win on English soil since 2001, BBC reports.

Stating that he had been frustrated with the selections for the past 12 to 18 months, the spin legend said that the Australian selectors have revealed that they still do not know the right mix of players, which is evident with their picking up of all the openers.

Warne, who was on the winning side in seven Ashes series and took 708 wickets in his Test career, further said that the selectors have picked players that have not performed well at first-class and international levels recently, adding that there are many good young players that have not been selected.

However, Warne supported former vice-captain Watson and captain Michael Clarke to perform well despite Clarke still recovering from a back problem, saying that Clarke is the most in-form Test batsman while Watson has matured and has been hitting the ball better now than the past.

According to Warne, Watson has reached the age when batsmen perform their best and know how to prepare.

Warne was speaking after Australia's one-day side suffered a humiliating 243-run loss to India after being bowled out for 65 in their final warm-up match before the ICC Champions Trophy starts on Saturday, the report added.